Apparatus and method for providing content using a network condition-based adaptive data streaming service

Abstract

An apparatus and method provides content data on a personal terminal using an adaptive streaming service. A user terminal receives, from a media management server, a metadata file needed for receiving content data stored in a home media server or another terminal. Based on information recorded in the metadata file, the user terminal provides a content service including the content files by segmenting target content data to support an optimal bit rate based on at least one of its performance and network conditions.

1 . A method for providing content stored in a home media server or other mobile terminal using a network condition-based adaptive data streaming service in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 requesting, by the mobile terminal, the home media server or the other mobile terminal to provide target content data stored therein;   receiving a metadata file from a media management server that the home media server or the other mobile terminal can access; and   receiving content files that are generated by segmenting the target content data to support an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions, from one of the media management server, the home media server, and the other mobile terminal, based on information included in the metadata file.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target content data and access information for the mobile terminal are provided in advance to the media management server by the home media server or the other mobile terminal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving the content files from the media management server comprises:
 determining a location at which the content files are stored, based on the information included in the metadata file;   setting up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to one of the media management server, the home media server, and the other mobile terminal, which corresponds to the determined location; and   receiving the content files based on the HTTP session.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the information included in the metadata file includes information about a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) where the content files are stored. 
     
     
         5 . An mobile terminal apparatus for providing content stored in a home media server or other mobile terminal using a network condition-based adaptive data streaming service, comprising:
 a communication unit that requests the home media server or the other mobile terminal to provide target content data stored therein, receives a metadata file from a media management server that the home media server or the other mobile terminal can access, and receives content files from one of the media management server, the home media server, and the other mobile terminal;   a content player that plays the content files received via the communication unit; and   a controller that controls the communication unit to request the home media server or the other mobile terminal to provide the target content data, controls the communication unit to receive the content files from one of the media management server, the home media server, and the other mobile terminal, based on information included in the metadata file, and controls the content player to play the content files,   wherein the content files are generated by segmenting the target content data to support an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the target content data and access information for the mobile terminal are provided in advance to the media management server by the home media server or the other mobile terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller determines a location at which the content files are stored, based on the information included in the metadata file, sets up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to one of the media management server, the home media server and the other mobile terminal, which corresponds to the determined location, and controls the communication unit to receive the content files based on the HTTP session. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the information included in the metadata file comprises information about a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) where the content files are stored. 
     
     
         9 . A method for providing content data to another mobile terminal using a network condition-based adaptive data streaming service by a home media server or a mobile terminal accessible to a media management server, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the another mobile terminal, a request to provide target content data stored in the home media server or the mobile terminal; and   requesting the media management server to provide a metadata file corresponding to the target content data to the another mobile terminal; and   providing the target content data, information about target content, and access information for the another mobile terminal to the media management server.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 generating content files by segmenting the target content data to enable transmission at a bit rate that supports an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions, without providing the target content data to the media management server; and   transmitting the content files to the another mobile terminal based on information included in the metadata file provided to the another mobile terminal by the media management server.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the content files comprises:
 setting up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to the another mobile terminal; and   transmitting the content files to the other mobile terminal based on the HTTP session.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for providing content data to another mobile terminal using a network condition-based adaptive data streaming service in a home media server or a mobile terminal accessible to a media management server, comprising:
 a memory for storing content data;   a communication unit that receives a request to provide target content data from the content data stored in the memory from the another mobile terminal, requests the media management server to provide a metadata file corresponding to the target content data to the another mobile terminal; and   a controller that controls the communication unit to request the media management server to provide the metadata file to the another mobile terminal, and to provide the target content data, information about target content, and access information for the another mobile terminal to the media management server.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the generates content files by segmenting the target content data to enable transmission at a bit rate that supports an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions, without providing the target content data to the media management server, and controls the communication unit to transmit the content files to the another mobile terminal based on information included in the metadata file provided to the another mobile terminal by the media management server. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the communication unit sets up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to the another mobile terminal, and transmits the content files to the another mobile terminal based on the HTTP session. 
     
     
         15 . A method for supporting a content service for a mobile terminal based on network conditions by a media management server, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to provide a metadata file to the mobile terminal from a home media server or other mobile terminal that can access the media management server;   generating the metadata file corresponding to target content data requested by the mobile terminal in content data stored in the home media server or the other mobile terminal, based on the target content data, information about the target content, and access information for the mobile terminal received from the home media server or the other mobile terminal; and   transmitting the generated metadata file to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 generating content files by segmenting the target content data to enable transmission at a bit rate that supports an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions; and   transmitting the content files to the mobile terminal based on information recorded in the metadata file provided to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein transmitting the content files comprises:
 setting up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to the mobile terminal; and   transmitting the content files to the mobile terminal based on the HTTP session.   
     
     
         18 . A media management server apparatus that supports a content service for a mobile terminal based on network conditions, comprising:
 a communication unit that receives a request to provide a metadata file to the mobile terminal from a home media server or other mobile terminal that can access the media management server, and transmits a metadata file to the mobile terminal; and   a metadata file generator that generates the metadata file corresponding to target content data requested by the mobile terminal from content data stored in the home media server or the other mobile terminal, based on the target content data, information about the target content, and access information for the mobile terminal received from the home media server or the other mobile terminal.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a content file generator for generating content files by segmenting the target content data to enable transmission at a bit rate that supports an optimal data streaming service in current network conditions,
 wherein the communication unit transmits the content files to the mobile terminal based on information recorded in the metadata file provided to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the communication unit sets up a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session to the mobile terminal, and transmits the content files to the mobile terminal based on the HTTP session.